Main Purpose of Job

Library & Information Services provides a range of services to support both staff and students in their work and research. These include the management of extensive digital and print collections, research publications support and two physical library facilities which provide space for work, study, and collaboration. The department is increasingly involved in the development and delivery of resources and services to support the Hutton’s Open Science agenda.

The team are currently in the process of implementing a new Current Research Information System (CRIS), Pure. The administration of this new business solution will be the responsibility of the Library once it is live and will be critical to the ongoing development of support for Open Science and research publications.

Additionally, both Hutton’s physical library facilities are in the process of being redeveloped, with Invergowrie’s library also due to be relocated to a different site location. Work on these projects is expected to complete in mid-2025.

The department currently consists of two full time librarians. The vacant posts will replace a previously full-time administrative role within the structure.

Two posts are being offered on a part time (17.5 hours per week) and permanent basis. One post will be primarily based in Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen with the other post at our Invergowrie campus. There will be opportunity for regular hybrid working. In addition, there will be the occasional requirement to work on the other site for a day. Shift patterns across the working week are negotiable.

Main Duties of Postholders

Research information management support

The Administrators will provide key support both in terms of the implementation of Pure in 2025 and its ongoing use by the Hutton community.

Supporting the preparation of data to be migrated from the current in-house publications system to Pure. This will involve data cleaning and verification, particularly in relation to conflicting or duplicated metadata entries. The Administrators will be required to judge which version is the most accurate.

This information and metadata will be used to support future internal science review exercises, as well as metrics reporting to funders such as the Scottish Government. Data from Pure will also be used to produce reports for the Hutton Board and Institute Management Team.

The postholders will also be required to consult with research staff directly when additional information or clarification is required to support the data migration project pre-go live date.

Reviewing the quality and consistency of data and information within Pure on an ongoing basis.

Escalating any technical or other operational issues with Pure to either the librarians or to the Pure technical support team.

Supporting processes for extracting data from Pure to ResearchFish, creation and running of reports when required by the librarians or other staff.

Parallel to the implementation project for Pure, the postholders will be involved with the maintenance of records in the eOutputs database, including checking and amending bibliographic records where necessary. eOutputs is the Hutton’s current in-house SharePoint/Access publications database. The postholders will need to answer researcher enquiries about the use of eOutputs prior to its replacement by Pure later in 2025.

Enquiry & Engagement

Providing first line responses to questions about any aspect of Library and Information Services via the service desk, email, or face to face. Judgement will be required regarding escalation to the librarians or other staff within the institute.

The postholders will have contact on a regular basis with a wide range of staff and other users, from all science and professional departments and different levels of seniority.

Provide administrative/technical support in arranging and facilitating outreach/engagement activities run by the librarians.

Planning

The postholders will need to be able to organise their own work according to priorities set by the librarians. They will have to prioritise their own workloads to meet specific targets and deadlines. This is particularly important around deadlines for reporting requirements for funders/compliance.

Space

• Supervision of the respective library facilities at Aberdeen and Invergowrie in the absence of either of the librarians. Lone working will be a regular requirement of both posts.
• Reporting of building-related issues to Estates and other relevant departments when there is a requirement to do so.
• As each of the current space development projects concludes, the postholders will be involved in supporting the work involved in the re-opening of library facilities to the Hutton user community.

Collections and document supply

• Administration of orders for new resources, including cataloguing using the LMS (library management system).
• Assisting the librarians in management of print journal collection, including deselection and disposal. This involves manual handling of individual books, journals, and boxes of collections.
• Significant amounts of the Hutton’s print journal and book collections were disposed of in 2024, but the Aberdeen postholder will be required to support the forthcoming book collection reduction project at that site.
• Supporting librarians in the administration of online collections - e.g. checking/editing links etc.
• Dealing with circulation of printed collections via the library’s management system (LMS).
• Reshelving of stock and routine shelf tidying.
• Monitoring and processing requests for inter library loans, including sourcing from external organisations such as the British Library. Administering the Hutton’s account with the British Library for inter library loan supply.

General duties

• Use of and reconciliation of corporate credit card for Library purchasing.
• Monitoring Library service desk, email accounts and answering or escalating enquiries to librarians.
• Assisting with maintenance of Library SharePoint site (Hutton intranet).
• Undertake general administrative duties when required.

Education/Experience/Skills

Essential

• Experience of working in a customer service role and a commitment to excellent service delivery.
• The ability to work independently but also as part of a team.
• Competence in Microsoft Office Excel (equivalent of intermediate ECDL).
• Minimum of Scottish Higher or equivalent .
• Ability to work to a high level of accuracy whilst performing repetitive tasks
• Communications - articulate written/verbal communication skills. Tact, resilience - ability to deal with range of users/demands, including senior colleagues.
• Familiarity with bibliographic referencing conventions.

Desirable

• Experience of administrative and reporting functions of Elsevier’s Pure solution.
• Relevant work experience in an academic or research library or information service.
• Competence in Microsoft Office Access.
• Experience with reference databases such as Web of Science.
• Demonstrable knowledge of the Open Access publishing landscape.

What we offer:

• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - A confidential service available to support employees and their families with work or personal problems. Providing access to professional counsellors, psychologists, and work-life consultants available to help and support individuals in tackling all types of problems.
• Annual Leave - Generous entitlement up to 40.5 days a year, with carry over possible and guaranteed time-off for Christmas.
• Pension - Employer Contribution of 15% in a Personal Pension Plan and employee contribution flexibility.
• Self-managed hours and Flexible Working - option to manage and spread your working time in line with organisational needs to create a healthy work life balance.

We will not consider the use of 3rd party recruitment agencies for the sourcing of candidates for this position.

The James Hutton Institute is Happy to Talk Flexible Working.